On this week’s Power Lines:
Stephen Colbert stunned viewers by calling out CBS for blocking the broadcast of his interview with Texas Democrat James Talarico, citing pressure from Donald Trump’s FCC.. Why the move backfired in a big way and what it means for CBS.
Next, Oliver and Jon break down Anderson Cooper’s decision to exit “60 Minutes” after nearly two decades—and why his freedom from being managed by Bari Weiss might not last as long as it seems.
Finally, a clear-eyed look at Fox News’ conspicuous silence on the Epstein Files now that the president’s name features prominently in them. Plus, Mark Zuckerberg takes the stand in a high-stakes trial that could mark the end of infinite scroll as we know it.
0:00 Intro
2:08 Colbert Feuds with CBS after Carr’s FCC Threat
19:45 Inside Anderson Cooper’s Decision to Leave 60 Minutes
32:47 Fox News’ Conspicuous Silence on Epstein Files
40:30 Zuckerberg Takes the Stand in Meta Trial
Thanks to our sponsor, beehiiv, the platform that powers the Status newsletter! If you have a newsletter with over 100k subscribers, schedule your free growth consultation today. Or, use code STATUS30 for 30% off: https://www.beehiiv.com/status
source
People upset at suppressing content should know that in 2016 a man who worked at the Vaticsn named Peter Saunders pointed out that pope francis was giving promotions to priests eho had admitted to covering up child s**x AB*USE…He was a whistleblower…but francis fired him😢 for speaking up and CNN and American media turned a blind eye and decided to just ignore Saunders because protecting pope francis was more important than protecting children. No one in mainstream gave Saunders a voice……….so everyone mocking Pam bondi for being heartless to victims have themselves protected the powerful over victims. Where was colbert?????????😢
It’s such a bad look for CBS leadership
I’m here for the CBS tea 🫖🫖🫖 Lol
This is a fantastic podcast!
👋Thank you for watching! Subscribe here on YouTube for more Power Lines–the show delivering exclusive reporting and sharp analysis on media, tech, and power.
Or listen on Apple, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts: http://status.news/power-lines
The social media case is dangerous for free speech as is the bill to repeal section 230. The financial hit meta or alphabet would take is chump change but the implications for free speech online would be unbelievably damaging
Colbert is CBS's biggest star? That's sad for CBS.
I believe Colbert 100%. The "leadership" and I use that term very charitably, have no credibility and in my opinion, acting in bad faith. I believe the incompetence is intentional and is designed to wound CBS News and CBS as a whole so badly that it will have to shut it's doors. This is all designed to make Trump happy.
Bari can't imagine that everyone isn't MAGA, mercenary or that she has anything to learn. Hubris meets Nemesis.
The irony of managing people is that you have to be aware of, and able to control your own ego. The one person you're not supposed to be advocating is for yourself. If you cannot, and I think Bari communicated she could not when she came in and took over that Erika Kirk town hall, how could anyone at CBS who has ever conducted an interview respect her after that attention-grab?
The FCC guy is from Project 2025. Of course Brandan Carr wants to suppress free speech. Far right anti democracy bull crap.
I think that they released the statement to divide and conquer, the sad thing is that Jasmine Crocket believed the lies from CBS. There is no way that Colbert would lie about that.
Corporate run media is an extension of the Trump Epstein Class Regime.
was looking forward to your take
I just wish Anderson would have the courage to tell it like it is and call out what Bari is doing and how dangerous that is for news…I also wish he would come out against CNN for being news-tainment and is not a good news source. Remember when Clarissa Ward pretended to save a Syrian prisoner after the fall of Assad? Why is she still working? And that’s not getting into how CNN frames and talks about Palestinians and middle eastern people in general (except for “precious “ Israel…)
Is it surprising that a Trump-coded FCC and a Trump-approved network, both with handpicked people would explode with incompetent management? CBS is not going to change its tune. Having the magas calling for Colbert's blood is exactly what Trump would have chosen.
He talks about putting thumb on the scale with FOX?
As long as Anderson stays with CNN, he is still a shill.
That the new leadership at CBS didn't realize Colbert doesn't have any more fucks to give and wouldn't take their underhanded interference lying down, is just more evidence of how very incompetent they are in addition to being perfectly willing to genuflect to fascists. Bari Weiss isn't there because she's wanting to "restore trust" or because she is in any way qualified to run a major news bureau (she isn't), she's there to please Trump. We can only be grateful that they're showing us so clearly who they are. Who is lying? Brendan Carr doesn't give a damn about the American people and democracy — pretty much everyone in the Trump regime lies as a matter of course.
Though I gotta say, this got me seriously thinking about a real Equal Time rule, and the Talarico interview — ironically — shows why. He got exposure to millions of people who otherwise wouldn't know of him, and he fundraised millions of $$$ off that. The race with Jasmine Crockett is close. In her place I'd be salty about this. Yes, she has been on Colbert, but that was before this race. Food for thought.
Good podcast! Stumbled upon this thanks to the often misbegotten algorithm, which in this case was a good thing.
But of course according to your vice president we in Europe don't have free speech and independent media.
"Forbade" is the past tense of "forbid." 🙃
How can anyone be surprised by anything happening at CBS? The Ellisons are currying favor with Trump, which is why they dropped Colbert and now tried to kill the Talarico interview. And anyone who thought Bari Weiss would be a good thing for CBS is overlooking how over the past few years she (like Bill Maher) seemed to think that "woke," and not Trump, were the biggest threats to America. So how can we be surprised by anything happening at 60 Minutes?
60 minutes has a been a shit show fir years. The ultimate nepo baby quit. Tough to care.
CBS bent the knee and licked the boot…they’ll never be anything but state propaganda now.
What makes you guys think CBS doesn’t want to cooperate with this administration? That they aren’t supporting this administration? That their intent isn’t to be a cooperating entity with this administration because of shared ideology?
The law firms, the media corporations, the tech bros corporations, the universities, etc. have blatantly damaged our constitutional right to free speech by bending the knee to the vile, overreaching, Trump regime, which would have been beyond belief slightly more than a year ago. These spineless, boot lickers should be ashamed by their lack of courage and integrity in the face of a group of criminal, unwarrantedly arrogant ignoramuses. Apparently, greed has no shame and breeds unscrupulous corruption. Stand Up America! 🗽❣
C=Complete
B=Bull
S=Sh*t
🤢 Lutnick claimed he was grossed out by hearing about Epstein's "special" massages… but later on Lutnick felt just fine about buying Epstein's home!
🤮 Ewwww!
Some of us only watched CNN or 60 minutes because of Anderson Cooper. They will lose a huge number of viewers. I love Anderson, he's a real journalist.
Who wants to be under David Ellison's thumb? Really? There's a choice to be made and Anderson made his.
Get the facts straight. Colbert was told by CBS lawyers that the interview (which had been recorded) could not be broadcast.